Man Men Final Season Split Into Two Parts Following The Trend Setting Breaking Bad

'Mad Men' is following the trend setting 'Breaking Bad' series by splitting its final season into two parts that will air a year apart from one another.

Mad Men fans won't have to say goodbye anytime soon as the hit AMC series will be splitting its final season into two parts. Seven episodes will air in the spring of 2014 and another seven episodes will be shown in the following spring of 2015, the network announced on Tuesday (17 September 2013).

Don Draper and his son Bobby

AMC's decision to split the popular series into two instalments follows the strategy they implemented for the network's other hit series Breaking Bad, which saw the last series divided into two entirely different ones and spread over the course of a year. This format was a stroke of genius by AMC as the crime drama nearly doubled its viewers.

AMC President Charlie Collier said in a statement, "This approach has worked well for many programs across multiple networks, and, most recently for us with Breaking Bad, which attracted nearly double the number of viewers to its second-half premiere than had watched any previous episode".

He also added "We are determined to bring Mad Men a similar showcase. In an era where high-end content is savoured and analysed, and catch-up time is used well to drive back to live events, we believe this is the best way to release the now 14 episodes that remain of this iconic series."

Mad Men final season to be divided into two separate ones

The creator of Mad Men, Matthew Weiner, commented on the divide in a statement, "We plan to take advantage of this chance to have a more elaborate story told in two parts, which can resonate a little bit longer in the minds of our audience".

AMC's decision for the split series indicates concerns that the network is losing its two biggest television series in the space of a year. Further attempt to keep the ratings high are also found in the form of a spin off series.

It was announced earlier this month a Breaking Bad spin off series will launch called Better Call Saul, which focuses on criminal lawyer Saul Goodman, played by Bob Odenkirk. Only time will tell if the decision to split Mad Men into two parts was the right call.